2.4 158 AA Male where should I apply? Forum

[danasbestfriend]

I'm going to retake in December obviously. Where should I apply? I have excellent softs. Any and all constructive input would be appreciated.

[MrPapagiorgio]

I'm going to retake in December obviously. Where should I apply?

Come back after you're retake score obviously. Your GPA/LSAT combo, even with URM status, will not get you into any schools worth attending.

[danasbestfriend]

valid. but I'm really optimistic and I think I have great soft factors. I'll be applying as Native American and African American as I can legitimately claim both. Will this affect my cycle positively? I went to a pretty good undergraduate institution and completed a major in their most prestigious program. I also have work experience at the national headquarters of a very well regarded organization. I'm shooting for Tier 1.

[PDaddy]

I'm going to retake in December obviously. Where should I apply? I have excellent softs. Any and all constructive input would be appreciated.

What UG did you attend, and what was your major? How many years out of school are you? What is your work experience like? What about community service? Military experience? Did you suffer any great hardships durring college? Are you an athlete? Native American only helps if you have actual tribe membership and can send the admissions office a phtoocopy of the BIA membership card. Are you receiving BIA benefits?

Facially, a retake looks like a very good idea for you, but it depends on your answers to the above questions. If you're a FOUG, I might also suggest waiting on law school and doing a grad or post-bac program. If you can get that score into the mid-160's or better and do some post-bac work or a grad program, you would still generally have your choice of schools. Without additional academic work, a mid-160's score can get you into the top 30-20 schools.

If going to law school immediately is important, you need to raise that score a bit to get into a school worth attending, and write a really good GPA addendum. Even so, you're looking at mostly T2 and T3 schools. If there's good enough reason for the GPA, and if you have good softs, lower T1's like Arizona, SMU or Florida might give you some love even with the 2.4. it depends on the rest of your profile, which I cannot speak on.

I would apply to a just a few of the lower T1's (Arizona), along with most the better T2's (such as Baylor, SMU, Cardozo, Temple and Miami) and T3's (such as Suffolk or Howard). You can apply as high as top-25 if you want to, but you should expect a shutout given that GPA.

[danasbestfriend]

word, well without getting too super specific here (i'm weird and paranoid) I went to GW and graduated last year. I have been working for an NGO in Washington. GW Law is my top choice and I will be ED'ing there. I know it's a stretch but I'm hoping for an alumni boost.

[PDaddy]

Your score is actually a good one, regardless of what people on TLS say. It puts you in the top 25% or so of all test-takers, and top-5-10% of African-American test-takers. We suck at the LSAT. Just remember, the typical TLSer strives for 170 LSAT, which is top-2%. People here have a scewed vision of what a "good" LSAT score is. If you had a 3.5 GPA or better, we wouldn't have a lot to discuss. If it were 3.75+, I would be telling you to apply to some top-10 schools. But your GPA is low, and it sticks out because it is right below 2.5.

Don't waste that score. It's NOT stellar, but it is very, very solid. If I were you I would wait and not only improve my score, but get a year or two of additional academic work under my belt. I would take some really good courses and get A's, and then apply in 2013 with a new set of grades and a 158 LSAT at worst, a mid-160's+ LSAT, best case scenario.

Why would you apply now when the door could be so much more open for you if you wait a couple of years?